יונה, פרק א׳, פסוק ט״ו

After all efforts to save the ship fail, the sailors are forced to take the extreme step of throwing Jonah into the water. This action brings a dramatic and immediate change in nature. However, casting him into the sea is not done recklessly. The sailors conduct a series of physical tests to prove beyond any doubt that Jonah is indeed the cause of the storm [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל]. Initially, they lift him and lower only part of his body into the water, such as up to his knees or his neck. Each time they do this, the water calms. Yet, the moment they pull him back onto the deck, the storm returns with full force.

Only after repeating this test and combining it with the evidence they already have, such as the storm targeting only their ship, the drawn lots, and Jonah's own confession, do they finally throw him completely into the sea [מלבי״ם]. The reaction of the water is described in human terms, comparing the crashing waves to a person filled with anger and rage [אבן עזרא, מצודת ציון]. Once Jonah is fully cast into the water, the sea finds silence and stillness [מצודת ציון], resting completely from its noisy, foaming waves [מצודת דוד]. The storm fades away entirely, allowing the sailors to safely continue their journey [ביאור שטיינזלץ].